Raleigh, North Carolina (March 21, 2018)- This year, The Delta Dental Foundation awarded $65,800 in Smiles for Kids grants across North Carolina. The grants were awarded to 19 community-based oral health programs and organizations that specifically focus on promoting and improving the oral health of underserved children. Nearly 70,000 children are expected to benefit from Smiles for Kids grants this year.

Grant recipients were selected based on factors such as the program’s focus on children, potential value to the community, measurable results, and the level of local community support it attracts.

“Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, and children miss 51 million hours of school every year in the United States due to dental issues,” said Curt Ladig, president and CEO of Delta Dental of North Carolina. “The Smiles for Kids grants will help provide better access to dental care for children who may not otherwise have it, allowing them to show up to school healthy and ready to learn.”

About Delta Dental FoundationThe Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina. The foundation’s goals are to support education and research for the advancement of dental science, and to promote the oral health of the public through education and service activities, particularly for those with special needs. For more information and the complete list of 2016 Smiles for Kids grant awardees, visit www.deltadentalnc.com.

About Delta Dental of North Carolina (DDNC)Delta Dental of North Carolina is a nonprofit dental service corporation created in 1970 to provide dental benefits throughout the state. Its mission is to improve the oral health of the communities it serves. It does so by providing affordable access to oral health care with the largest network of providers, including two out of every three dentists, in North Carolina.